Insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device

• US 6,225,649 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2000
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Minato, Tadaharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Meier, Stephen D.
• Application Number:
  US09/462,947
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 257/133, 257/154
• US Class Current: 257/133
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7397 and a gate structure lying on a slanted or vertical surface or formed in a groove, e.g. trench gate IGBT

Abstract

An insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device is provided wherein electric resistance generated in an emitter impurity region and between an emitter electrode and a region in the close vicinity of a gate takes a prescribe value irrespective of the distance of the emitter impurity region in direct contact with the emitter electrode in order to increase a load short circuit safe operation region without degrading the forward voltage drop and switching characteristic.

Claims

1. A vertical, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having first and second main surfaces opposite each other;

an impurity region of a first conductivity type formed at the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate;

a first impurity region of a second conductivity type formed at the second main surface of the semiconductor substrate;

a second impurity region of the second conductivity type internally surrounding the impurity region of the first conductivity type and having a portion exposed in the first main surface;

a control conductor provided for the second impurity region of the second conductivity type with an insulating film therebetween;

a first main electrode provided in contact with both the impurity region of the first conductivity type and the second impurity region of the second conductivity type;

a second main electrode provided at the first impurity region of the second conductivity type; and

a control electrode connected to the control conductor;

wherein the impurity region of the first conductivity type is adapted to internally have a total ballast resistance corresponding to an internal resistance thereof and having a value of 0.005 to 0.01 Ω

, as received by a current carrier of the first conductivity type moving through the impurity region of the first conductivity type.

3. The vertical, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a concentration of an impurity of the first conductivity in a portion of the impurity region of the first conductivity type extending in a direction traversing the insulating film and extending along a portion exposed in the first main surface of the second impurity region of the second conductivity type, as seen in two dimensions, is lower than the concentration of an impurity of the first conductivity of a portion extending between the portion exposed in the first main surface of the second impurity region of the second conductivity and the control conductor.

5. The vertical, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a length of a portion of the impurity region of the first conductivity type extending in a direction traversing the insulating film and extending along a portion exposed in the first main surface of the second impurity region of the second conductivity type, as seen in two dimensions, is at least twice the length of a portion extending between the portion exposed in the first main surface of the second impurity region of the second conductivity and the control conductor.

7. The vertical, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the control conductor is formed in a trench provided in the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate.

2. A lateral, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having first and second main surfaces opposite to each other;

an impurity region of a first conductivity type formed at the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate;

a first impurity region of a second conductivity type formed on the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate;

a second impurity region of the second conductivity type internally surrounding the impurity region of the first conductivity type and having a portion exposed in the first main surface;

a control conductor provided for the second impurity region of the second conductivity type with an insulating film therebetween;

a first main electrode provided in contact with both the impurity region of the first conductivity type and the second impurity region of the second conductivity type;

a second main electrode provided at the first impurity region of the second conductivity type; and

a control electrode connected to the control conductor,

wherein the impurity region of the first conductivity type is adapted to internally have a total ballast resistance corresponding to an internal resistance thereof and having a value of 0.005 to 0.01 Ω

, as received by a current carrier of the first conductivity type.

4. The lateral, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the concentration of an impurity of the first conductivity in a portion of the impurity region of the first conductivity type extending in a direction traversing the insulating film and extending along a portion exposed in the first main surface of the second impurity region of the second conductivity type, as seen in two dimensions, is lower than the concentration of an impurity of the first conductivity of a portion extending between the portion exposed in the first main surface of the second impurity region of the second conductivity and the control conductor.

6. The lateral, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein a length of a portion of the impurity region of the first conductivity type extending in a direction traversing the insulating film and extending along a portion exposed in the first main surface of the second impurity region of the second conductivity type, as seen in two dimensions, is at least twice the length of a portion extending between the portion exposed in the first main surface of the second impurity region of the second conductivity and the control conductor.

8. The lateral, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the control conductor is formed in a trench provided in the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate.

9. A vertical, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having first and second main surfaces opposite to each other;

an impurity region of a first conductivity type formed at the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate;

a first impurity region of a second conductivity type formed on the second main surface of the semiconductor substrate;

a second impurity region of the second conductivity type internally surrounding the impurity region of the first conductivity type and having a portion exposed in the first main surface;

a control conductor provided for the second impurity region of the second conductivity type with an insulating film therebetween;

a first main electrode provided in contact with both the impurity region of the first conductivity type and the second impurity region of the second conductivity type;

a second main electrode provided at the first impurity region of the second conductivity type; and

a control electrode connected to the control conductor,

wherein a region to increase a resistance of the impurity region of the first conductivity type is formed in a vicinity of a surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type.

11. The vertical, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein means for forming the region to increase the resistance in the vicinity of the surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type comprises a third impurity region of the second conductivity type in the vicinity of the surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type.

13. The vertical, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein means for forming the region to increase the resistance in the vicinity of the surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type comprises a neutral region in the vicinity of the surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type.

15. The vertical, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the neutral region is formed by introducing an impurity of the second conductivity type into the impurity region of the first conductivity type for compensation.

16. The vertical, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the neutral region is formed by introducing an electrically inactive element into the impurity region of the first conductivity type.

19. The vertical, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein the means for forming the region to increase the resistance in the vicinity of the surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type comprises introducing in the vicinity of the surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type an element chemically reacting with the semiconductor substrate to form an insulator.

21. The vertical, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein the means for forming the region to increase the resistance in the vicinity of the surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type comprises etching away a portion of the impurity region of the first conductivity type.

23. The vertical, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein an opposite potential applied to the control electrode when current is cut off inverts to the second conductivity type a portion of the impurity region of the first conductivity type opposite to the control conductor, the inverted region provides a third impurity region of the second conductivity type electrically connectable with the second impurity region of the second conductivity type, and an impurity concentration of a portion of the impurity region of the first conductivity type is lowered.

25. The vertical, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 23, wherein the third impurity region of the second conductivity type is formed isolated from the second impurity region of the second conductivity type electrically connected directly to the first main electrode, the opposite potential applied to the control electrode when current is cut off inverts the impurity region of the first conductivity type to the second conductivity type, and the inverted region electrically connects the second impurity region of the second conductivity type and the third impurity region of the second conductivity type.

10. A lateral, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having first and second main surfaces opposite to each other;

an impurity region of a first conductivity type formed at the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate;

a first impurity region of a second conductivity type formed on the second main surface of the semiconductor substrate;

a second impurity region of the second conductivity type internally surrounding the impurity region of the first conductivity type and having a portion exposed in the first main surface;

a control conductor provided for the second impurity region of the second conductivity type with an insulating film therebetween;

a first main electrode provided in contact with both the impurity region of the first conductivity type and the second impurity region of the second conductivity type;

a second main electrode provided at the first impurity region of the second conductivity type; and

a control electrode connected to the control conductor,

wherein a region to increase a resistance of the impurity region of the first conductivity type is formed in a vicinity of a surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type.

12. The lateral, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein means for forming the region to increase the resistance in the vicinity of the surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type comprises a third impurity region of the second conductivity type in the vicinity of the surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type.

14. The lateral, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein means for forming the region to increase the resistance in the vicinity of the surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type comprises a neutral region in the vicinity of the surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type.

17. The lateral, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein the neutral region is formed by introducing an impurity of the second conductivity type into the impurity region of the first conductivity type for compensation.

18. The lateral, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein the neutral region is formed by introducing an electrically inactive element into the impurity region of the first conductivity type for compensation.

20. The lateral, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the means for forming the region to increase the resistance in the vicinity of the surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type comprises introducing in the vicinity of the surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type an element chemically reacting with the semiconductor substrate to form an insulator.

22. The lateral, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the means for forming the region to increase the resistance in the vicinity of the surface of the impurity region of the first conductivity type comprises etching away a portion of the impurity region of the first conductivity type.

24. The lateral, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein a opposite potential applied to the control electrode when current is cut off inverts to the second conductivity type a portion of the impurity region of the first conductivity type opposite to the control conductor, the inverted region provides a third impurity region of the second conductivity type electrically connectable with the second impurity region of the second conductivity type, and an impurity concentration of a portion of the impurity region of the first conductivity type is lowered.

26. The lateral, insulated-gate bipolar semiconductor device according to claim 24, wherein the third impurity region of the second conductivity type is formed isolated from the second impurity region of the second conductivity type electrically connected directly to the first main electrode, the opposite potential applied to the control electrode when current is cut off inverts the impurity region of the first conductivity type to the second conductivity type, and the inverted region electrically connects the second impurity region of the second conductivity type and the third impurity region of the second conductivity type.